2 Macc 13

Antiochus and Lysias again invade Judea. Menelaus is put to death. The king’s great army is worsted twice. The peace is renewed.

1 In the one hundred and forty-ninth year, Judas realized that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a multitude against Judea. 2 And with him was Lysias, the procurator, who was in charge of the government, having with him one hundred and ten thousand foot soldiers, five thousand horsemen, and twenty-two elephants, and three hundred swift chariots with curved blades. ^{▼▼13:2 A hundred and ten thousand, etc: The difference between the numbers here set down, and those recorded, 1 Mac. 4, is easily accounted for; if we consider that such armies as these are liable to be at one time more numerous than at another; either by sending away large detachments, or being diminished by sickness; or increased by receiving fresh supplies of troops, according to different exigencies or occurrences.(Challoner)}

3 Menelaus also joined himself to them, and with many lies he pleaded with Antiochus, not for the welfare of his country, but hoping that he would be appointed as first ruler. 4 But the King of kings awakened the mind of Antiochus against the sinner. And when Lysias was suggesting this to be the cause of all the evils, he ordered (as is the custom with them) that he should be apprehended and killed in the same place. 5 Now there was, in the same place, a tower of fifty cubits, having a pile of ashes on every side. This had a lookout over a precipice. 6 From there, he ordered this sacrilegious one to be thrown down into the ashes, with all propelling him into the afterlife. 7 And by such a law, it turned out that the betrayer of the law, Menelaus, died, not having so much as a burial in the earth. 8 And indeed, this satisfied justice, for just as he had committed many offenses toward the altar of God, the fire and ashes of which are holy, so was he condemned to die in ashes.

9 But the king, with his mind being unbridled, came to reveal himself as more wicked to the Jews than his father was. 10 When Judas understood this, he instructed the people to call upon the Lord day and night, so that, just as always, now also he would help them. 11 Of course, they were afraid to be deprived of their law and their country, and of the holy temple, and also that he might allow the people, who had recently taken a breath for a little while, to be again subdued by blasphemous nations. 12 And so, having together done all these things, and having sought mercy from the Lord with weeping and fasting, lying prostrate on the ground continually for three days, Judas exhorted them to prepare themselves. 13 In truth, with the elders he decided that, before the king could move his army into Judea and obtain the city, they would go out and commit the outcome of the event to the judgment of the Lord. 14 And so, giving everything to God, the Creator of the world, and having exhorted his own to contend with fortitude and to stand up, even unto death, for the laws, the temple, the city, their country and the citizens: he positioned his army around Modin. 15 And having given his own a sign of the victory of God, he attacked the quarters of the king by night, with the strongest chosen young men, and he slew four thousand men in the camp, and the greatest of the elephants, along with those who would have been positioned on them. 16 And so, having filled the camp of their enemies with the greatest fear and disturbance, they went away with good success. 17 Now this was done at the first light of day, with the Lord assisting and protecting them.

18 But the king, having received a taste of the audacity of the Jews, attempted to take the difficult places by craftiness. ^{▼▼13:18The king attempts to win without a major battle, by deceitful negotiations, ‘arte,’ so as to capture the more difficult places without heavy losses. Such is the tactic used by the Antichrist to obtain power over the world (early 25th century).(Conte)} 19 And so, he moved his camp to Bethzur, which was a fortified garrison of the Jews. But as he struck, he was put to flight and reduced in number. 20 Then Judas sent necessities to those who were inside. 21 But Rhodocus, a certain one from the Jewish army, reported the secrets to the enemies, so he was sought out, apprehended, and imprisoned. 22 Again, the king held talks with those who were in Bethzur. He gave his right hand as a pledge, and accepted theirs, and he went away. 23 He joined battle with Judas; he was overcome. But when he realized that Philip, who had been left out of these events, had rebelled at Antioch, he was in a consternation of mind, and, begging the Jews, and being submissive to them, he swore to all things that seemed just. And, being reconciled, he offered sacrifice, honored the temple, and left gifts. 24 He embraced Maccabeus, and he made him commander and leader from Ptolemais all the way to the Gerrenians. 25 But when he arrived at Ptolemais, the Ptolemaians considered the conditions of the alliance burdensome, being indignant lest perhaps they might break the pact. 26 Then Lysias went up to the tribunal, and explained the reasons, and calmed the people, and so he returned to Antioch. And this is the way things went concerning the journey and return of the king.